S.S. Dixon Primary School
Home of the Patriot Ponies

Attendance/Tardy/Absences

2016-2017

Attendance

Florida Statute 1003.21 requires
students ages six (6) up to 18 to be in regular attendance at school. A
student who has been absent from school shall have his or her absence
reported in a manner which is described in the school’s Student
Handbook.

A. Excused Absences:
Absences granted for personal illness, illness or death of a member of
the immediate family, medical or dental appointments, religious
holidays, religious instruction, court date and special emergencies or
pre-arranged absences approved by the Principal or designee. The
parent/guardian must notify the school to provide the reason for the
absence or respond to the school’s inquiry about the reason for the
absence within three (3) days of the absence, or it becomes an unexcused
absence.

A student who desires to be absent for
reasons not given above; may make a prior arrangement request to
the school Principal by bringing a written request from his/her parent
or guardian.

1. Pre-arranged absence requests must be
made at least five (5) school days prior to the date of the absence,
except in the case of an emergency.

2. Students shall make pre-arrangements
for their school work to be done; it will be due the day the student
returns to school. Work done in the pre-arranged time allotted will be
given full credit.

B. Unexcused Absences:
Absences for shopping trips, vacations, pleasure trips, truancy,
dismissal from school, or other avoidable absences which have not been
pre-arranged and approved by the Principal or designee. Five (5) late to
school Check-Ins and/or Check Outs, will equate to the student receiving
one (1) unexcused absence for truancy purposes.

Learnfare Program: The school district will report any wage
recipient (student) to the Department of Children & Families when he/she
reaches five (5) unexcused absences within 30 calendar days.

Student Contact Program: If a parent/guardian does not respond to
the initial school contact regarding unexcused absences, schools have
the option of utilizing a law enforcement officer to deliver a letter of
notice.

C. Notification to School:
Any student who has been absent from school shall bring a note from one
of his/her parents or guardians stating the cause of the absence. A
Principal may choose to accept notification in person or by telephone in
lieu of a note. Failure to properly notify the school or the inability
of the school to reach the parent/guardian to establish the reason for
the absence within three (3) days shall result in an unexcused absence.

1. The school shall receive notification
of the cause of the absence within three (3) days.

2. The school will determine if the
absence is to be excused or unexcused.

D. Definition of Habitual Truant: A habitual truant is a child who has
15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days with or without the
knowledge or justifiable consent of the child’s parent or legal
guardian, who is subject to compulsory school attendance under Florida
Statute 1003.21(1) and (2)(a), and who is not exempt under Florida
Statue 1003.21(3) or 1003.24 or any other exemptions specified by law or
rules of the state Board of Education. 14

E. Truancy
Procedures: If a student has had
at least five (5) unexcused absences* or absences for which the reasons
are unknown within 30 calendar days, or ten (10) unexcused absences or
absences for which the reasons are unknown within 90 calendar days, the
student’s primary teacher shall report to the school Principal that the
student may be exhibiting a pattern of nonattendance.

* Five (5) late to
school Check-Ins and or Check-Outs prior will equate to the student
receiving one (1) unexcused absence.

1. The Principal
shall, unless there is clear evidence that the absences are not a
pattern of nonattendance, refer the case to the school’s Integrated
Services Team to determine if early patterns of truancy are developing.

2. The
parent/guardian shall be invited to meet with the Integrated Services
Team to develop a written Truancy Intervention Plan.

3. The
parent/guardian shall be informed of the requirements of compulsive
attendance laws, Truancy Pick-Up Program and the Department of Motor
Vehicle sanctions.

4. If an initial
meeting does not resolve the problem, the Integrated Services Team shall
implement interventions that best address the problem. The interventions
may include, but need not be limited to the following:

 referral to the
school Social Work Department

 frequent
communication between the teacher and the family

 changes in the
learning environment

 mentoring

 student counseling

 tutoring, including
peer tutoring

 placement into
different classes

 evaluation for
alternative education programs

 attendance
contracts

 referral to other
agencies for family services

 other
interventions, including, but not limited to, a truancy petition
pursuant to s.984.151, F.S.

The Integrated
Services Team (IST) shall be diligent in facilitating intervention
services and shall report the child to the Superintendent only when all
reasonable efforts to resolve the nonattendance behavior are exhausted.

a. If the parent or
guardian in charge of the student refuses to participate in the remedial
strategies because he or she believes that those strategies are
unnecessary or inappropriate, the parent or guardian in charge of the
student may appeal to the School Board.

b. If the Board’s
final determination is that the strategies of the Integrated Services
Team are appropriate, and the parent or guardian in charge of the
student still refuses to participate or cooperate, the Superintendent
may seek criminal prosecution for noncompliance with compulsory school
attendance.

c. If nonattendance
continues after the implementation of intervention strategies, the
Principal may request that the Superintendent (or his designee) file a
truancy court petition. If a truancy court petition is filed, the
parents/guardian of the student will receive a summons to appear in
circuit court pursuant to F.S. 984.151, and the parents/guardian may be
subject to continued court jurisdiction, fines, probation or jail.

5. If the
parent/guardian of a child who has been identified as exhibiting a
pattern of nonattendance, enrolls the child

in a home education
program pursuant to F.S.1002, the Superintendent of Schools shall
provide the parent/guardian a copy of F.S.1002.41 and the accountability
requirements of this paragraph. The Superintendent of Schools shall also
refer the parent/guardian to a home education review committee composed
of the district contact for home education programs and at least two (2)
home educators selected by the parent/guardian from a district list of
all home educators who have conducted a home education program for at
least three (3) years and who have indicated a willingness to serve on
the committee. The Home Education Review Committee shall review the
portfolio of the student, as defined by F.S.1002.41, every 30 days
during the district’s regular school terms until the committee is
satisfied that the home education program is in compliance with
F.S.1002.41 (1)(b). The first portfolio review must occur within the
first 30 calendar days of the establishment of the program. The
provisions of paragraph six (6) below do not apply once the committee
determines the home education program is in compliance with F.S.1002.41
(1)(b). 15

6. If the
parent/guardian fails to provide a portfolio to the committee, the
committee shall notify the Superintendent of Schools. The Superintendent
of Schools shall then terminate the home education program and require
the parent/guardian to enroll the child in an attendance option provided
under F.S.1003.01 (13), (a), (b), (c), or (e), within three (3) days.
Upon termination of a home education program pursuant to this paragraph,
the parent/ guardian shall not be eligible to reenroll the child in a
home education program for 180 calendar days. Failure of a parent or
guardian to enroll the child in an attendance option after termination
of the home education program pursuant to this paragraph shall
constitute noncompliance with the compulsory attendance requirements of
F.S.1003.21 and may result in criminal prosecution under F.S.1003.27
(z). Nothing contained herein shall restrict the ability of the
Superintendent of Schools, or the ability of his or her designee, to
review the portfolio pursuant to F.S.1002.41(1)(b).

7. If a child subject
to compulsory school attendance will not comply with attempts to enforce
school attendance, the parent, the guardian or the Superintendent or his
designee shall refer the situation to the case staffing committee (Child
in Need of Services – CINS) and the Superintendent or his designee may
file a Truancy Petition pursuant to the procedures in Florida Statute
984.151.

F. Truancy Pick-Up:
Any child
believed to be of compulsory school age of six (6) up to 18 who does not
appear to be under adult supervision may be stopped, interviewed and
picked-up by law enforcement officers.

G. Prolonged or
Repeated Absences: When a student is
absent repeatedly or for a prolonged period of time due to an illness or
injury, the Principal or designee may require documentation from a
physician or health care provider. If the requested documentation is not
provided, the absence will be unexcused.

A student who has
medically diagnosed physical or mental conditions which confine the
student to home or hospital and whose activities are restricted for a
period of at least 15 consecutive school days, may be eligible for
homebound/

hospital services.
Parents/
guardian should contact the student’s school to secure an application
for these services.

A student who has been sent home with head lice
and/or nits should return to school, free of head lice and/or nits
within two (2) calendar days; absences from school during the two (2)
calendar days will be excused. For each occurrence of head lice and/or
nits, absences beyond two (2) calendar days will be unexcused

J

. Elementary School Absenteeism: After review by the Integrated
Services Team (IST) at each school, the Principal has the authority to
retain students who have been absent 20 or more days excused and/or
unexcused.

The Principal has the final authority, for the grade placement of
each student.

Any parent/guardian requesting a waiver of this policy must submit
their request in writing to the school Principal along with a detailed
explanation for the request. The intent of this waiver is for situations
regarding absences due to medical reasons. The school Principal will
evaluate each request and make a determination as to whether or not the
waiver will be granted.

Course Average Flow Chart

Course
Average Flow Chart

1.

Excessive absences?

Yes

No

Actual Average

2.

Pass Exam?

No

Yes

Actual Average

3.

Principal Grants Waiver?

No

Yes

Actual Average

4.

Student receives 59 or Actual Average, whichever is lower.

M. Make-Up Work:

When a student is absent from school for school-sponsored activities or
for an excused absence,
the student shall be responsible for making arrangements with teachers
for completing all work and assignments missed during the absence. All
make-up work assigned shall be completed within three (3) days after the
student returns to school unless given an extension of time by the
teacher. Tests announced prior to the absence can be given on the
student’s first day back to school, or at the discretion of the teacher.
Assignments given prior to an absence that were due during the absence
should be turned in the first day the student returns to school (see
"Excused Absences"). If the teacher finds it necessary to provide an
alternate test or assignment for a student who has been absent, the test
or assignment shall be comparable in length, design and degree of
difficulty of the test or assignment given to the other students in the
class for which the student was absent.

Zeroes will be given for class work and assignments missed during an

unexcused absence and may not be made up for
grading purposes unless an exception is made by the Principal or
designee.

Accommodations indicated on student IEP/504 Plan must be implemented.

N. Tardiness:

A
tardy is the absence of any student at the time attendance is taken,
provided the student is in attendance before the end of class except in
the case of checking in to school after the designated start time.
Repeated and/or excessive incidents of tardiness may potentially result
in disciplinary action.

O.

Leaving School Prior to End of Day: It is required that the
parent or designated adult sign the student out unless prior arrangement
has been made by the parent/guardian. Repeated and/or excessive
incidents of leaving school prior to the end of the day may potentially
result in disciplinary action for the student. Five (5)
accumulated "late to school Check-Ins" or "early Check-Outs" will equate
to the student receiving one (1) unexcused absence.

Students with an IEP/504 Plan indicating a modified/shortened school
day will not be marked absent.

Late to School Check-In or Early Check-Outs:

a. Students arriving after a school’s designated start time are
considered late to school and will receive a "Late to School Check-In"
coding.

b. Students checking out of school prior to the end of the school’s
designated dismissal time will receive an "Early Check–Out" coding.

c. Five (5) accumulated "Late to School Check-Ins" or "Early
Check-Outs" will equate to the student receiving one (1) unexcused
absence.